Improvement in locks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

A. WILLIAMS `AND E. P. GUMMINGS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,245, dated May 5, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED `WrLLrAMs and EDWARD P. GUMMINes, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have made an Improvement in Locks for Banks, Safes, and Fire-Proofs; and we do declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the aceompanyin g drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

We construct our lock in the comlmon form externally, but dispense entirely with .key or` key-hole. i

lhe bolt B, Figures 1 and 2, is thrownout by means of springs (one or more) H, Figs. 2 and 3, and in this respect not differing from the common spring or night lock. Over the bolt we lay the T-shaped yoke C, Figs. 1 and 2, sliding through the guard S, Figs. 1 and 2, and the end F, Fig. 1, dipping back into the bolt and slding,.in common with it, under the plate covering the socket K, Figs. 1 and 2.

Attached to the arms of the T-shaped yoke are the springs D D, Figs. 1 and 2, (two or inore,) which serve toy retract the yoke, and at the same time the bolt.

For the purpose of extending the springs and allowing the bolt to fasten 'the door, we have arranged the levers E and F, Fig. l, one short and one long, connected by a togglejoint, G, Fig. 1, the long one to stand, when in position, exactly over the short one, as in Fig. 1. To retain the levers in this position we apply the revolving dial N, Fig. 1, with a groove, O, Fig. 1, in which the pulley X, Fig. 7, is adjusted, which groove has an outlet, P, Fig. 1, and a cam across, as at Q', Fig. 1.

H, Fig. l, is a lever, which, when in position, meets the shoulder I, Fig. 1', a-nd thus prevents the bolt from being pushed back. J, Fig. 1, is a crutch, on which the end of thelever rides until the bolt comes nally home to its position.

Inclosed in the.apartinent L, Fig. 1, aretwo clocks, whose action is to rotate the revolving dial, but so arranged that either will rotate it independently of the other, thereby providing for accident to the clocks, as both would not probably stop at the same time.

The operation of the lock is as follows: The

safe or hre-proof is to be closed for a certain the back of the long lever in the groove in the dial, by way of the opening in its circumference; rotate the dial till the index points to the required number of hours before the safe is to be opened, and tighten it so that the clocks will rotate it. lever, now, the end will be found to ride on the crutch J, Fig. l 5 but if the bolt be pushed in and then allowed to return to its place, the stop-lever will be found in position against the shoulder, as in Fig. l. rlhe object of this is to preventV a forcing of the Abolt by pressure on the end. The pulley, being retained in the groove, keeps the levers on their center, and the revolution of the dial will, at the required time, bring the opening' against the pulley,`

and the cam throws the levers off their center, when the retracting springs withdraw the yoke, and with it the bolt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the bolts are withdrawn by theaction of the clockmovements, and cannot be withdrawn except by the revolution of the dial, which releases the pulley on the long lever.

- It will also be seen that there is no occasion to approach the lock except when. the door is open, so that keyor key-hole Vis entirely dispensed with, thereby rendering the lock comi pletely burglar and powder proof.

We claim and ask to have secured to us- The use of the yoke (l C G, the levers E F, and the stop-lever H, the whole constructed, arranged, and operating in connection "with the disk N,as set forth.

Philadelphia, February 2, 1857.

A. WILLIAMS. EDWARD r. oUMMiNes.

Witnesses:

E. J ARED MEGONEGAL, JAMES C. ATKINSON.

On observing the stop- 

